254 NATUBAL HISTOET SKETCHES. 



bays ; the poisonous toad-fish, the prickly porcupine- 

 fish, and others ; and often, when a net is drawn ashore, 

 many small but singular wonders of the deep are brought 

 to light. 



We had several species of limpet or wilks on the small 

 rocks ; one which we called " the warrener," as large as a 

 great wood-snail, which was capital eating. By the way, 

 I never recollect seeing any land-snails in these forests. 

 But the finest shell-fish in this bay was the " mutton- 

 fish," which in the island of Jersey is called the 

 " ormer," a large flat shell-fish, often as large as one's 

 hand, which sticks so closely to the rocks by the fleshy 

 side that they require to be removed with a knife. These 

 mutton-fish are excellent eating when roasted on the 

 ashes, and a dozen of them will make what is colonially 

 termed a " capital feed." The Blacks are very fond of 

 them ; and it is extraordinary to see what a time they 

 can remain under water when diving for mutton-fish ou 

 the rocks below the surface. 



Two or three species of small crab were found in the 

 crevices of the rocks at low water ; and one s which we 

 called the soldier-crab, was handsome and curious. There 

 was a funny little species of land-crab, round, and about 

 as large as a musket-ball, which used to cover the beach 

 at low water in such quantities in certain places, that the 

 ground seemed alive with them as they scuttled back- 

 wards into the sand. The crayfish, however, represented 

 our lobster and crab on these shores. 



A small species of saw-fish I have seen the saw about 



